I'm Always The Freak
by Classic Rock Fan
Summary: Warning: Hints of depression and cutting. Priestley always felt like the freak of the gang. Although he'd never let them know it. Pre-TIH. My very first TIH fic so please be nice, and no flame reviews! Thank you!
1. Hand It To Ya

**A/N: Alright. So I saw TIH and just instantly fell in love with it. So I decided to write a story about it. I gotta warn you though, it shows Priestley as really emo... Anyway, I know the story's a little short and I promise that the next few chapters are gonna be longer. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.**

Boaz Priestley was his name. The name of the freak in the sandwich shop. The name of the guy with the weird hair and too many piercings. Not even the girl of his dreams would look his way and give him a second glance. He felt all alone. Walking into the shop pulling his sleeves over the scars on his arms from last night's fun.

He noticed Tish first, as per usual she was getting a date for the night. He stopped and rolled his eyes. "Oh god, Tish have some respect." he said, walking past her. Tish smiled. "This coming from the guy who wears his hair in a Mohawk and has too many piercings." she said.

"Careful now. Wouldn't wanna give the guy your disease."

Okay. That one was a little harsh, but the look on her face was priceless as the guy walked out the door. She turned to look at him and he smirked. "Dick!" she said, throwing a towel at his head. Priestley chuckled. "Oh come on! No telling what diseases you got with how many men you used!" he said.

Priestley walked behind the counter, and looked over Jen's shoulder. "Did Fuzzy log in yet?" he asked. Jen smiled. "Not yet. Oh and nice line by the way." she said, watching as Priestley walked away. Priestley smirked and went to work, cooking on the grill.

"I thought so." he said.

The people that worked in the sandwich shop were like a family. They always stuck together, well, depending on the situation. Although, Priestley was the only one that felt left out. "Morning people." came the sound of the boss Trucker's voice. Priestley turned around.

"It's a shocker that I showed up before you did Trucker."

"Yeah Trucker. I mean, come on. Priestley usually shows up 3 hours late. This has gotta be an all new low for you." Tish said, leaning on the counter. Priestley looked at her and turned around… better to keep his mouth shut.

* * *

Priestley looked at himself in the mirror, pulling down his sleeve again, and putting a box under the bathroom cabinet. Luckily, he didn't have a roommate, he thought as he opened the bathroom door, and made his way into the living room. It was beginning to get old now.

The way it feels when the razor hits his skin. It doesn't bother him. Just makes him feel better. He ran his hand through his hair, and reached for the remote. By tomorrow he'd probably have a sleeve that was soaked with blood and another old scar. Sitting on the couch he turned on the TV.

* * *

"Alright! We'll ask Priestley!" Tish said as he walked in.

"Ask Priestley what?" he asked.

"Jen doesn't want to go to the beach with us this weekend."

"By us you mean--?"

"Me and Louis." she said, tossing him an apron.

He caught it and smirked. "Jen, that sounds fun. You should go." he said. Tish smiled. "Thank you. Come on Jen." she said. Jen sighed. "Alright." she said. Priestley smirked. "Right on Jen." he said, looking at Tish. When she looked up, he looked away. He sighed.

"Priestley! Mind doing your job instead of spacing out?" Tish asked. Priestley looked at her and smirked. "Nope. Not at all." he said, and he went back to the stove. Tish shook her head and rolled her eyes, going back to talking with a guy.

**A/N: So please leave me reviews as this is my very first TIH fic... So please be nice. **


	2. A Little Harsh

**A/N: Alright. Considering I've gotten 5 reviews so far for chapter 1 of this story, I started working really quick on the 2nd chapter. Which I am very proud of, if I say so myself. Well on-topic and not to mention, In-Character. So please enjoy!**

"Alright. Here's a question for you: What does Priestley do in his spare time?" Tish asked, realizing that Priestley was later than usual. Jen smirked and shrugged. "Maybe he's a CIA agent, working on some confidential project for the government." she said.

"Maybe he's like a high profile maintenance janitor part-time."

"Julius. Why would anyone want a job like that?"

Priestley walked in. Wearing a jacket and his normal strange hair. He saw the strange looks on the people's faces. "What's going on?" he asked, catching the apron that Tish threw to him. Tish smiled. "Oh. Nothing. Just talking about business." she said. Priestley smirked. "Oh really? And which business is that?" he asked.

"We were talking about someone's business."

"And who would that be?"

"Yours."

"Julius!"

Priestley smirked and turned towards the stove. "And that's a big deal, why?" he asked. Tish scoffed. "Well, for one, why are you always showing up late?" she asked. He turned towards her. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked. She sighed and smirked. "Oh come on. It's not that bad, is it?" she asked.  
"And not to mention, you're always wearing jackets and long-sleeved shirts when it's like 100 degrees outside." Jen said. Priestley scoffed. "We just wanna know, what are you doing in your spare time?" Tish asked. Priestley looked between Tish and Jen and Julius.

"Do you have to ask?" he asked.

"We know you're not with a girl."

"Oh really? And how would you know that?"

"Because I mean, look at you." Tish said, pointing at his hair.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing. It's just your hair, and your clothes, and not to mention your whole attitude. It's such a turn-off." she said. Priestley sighed and looked at the other people. "Is that what you all think?" he asked. Jen looked at him and shook her head. "I don't think that." she said.

"Thanks Jen."

"I guess I'm alone then."

"Guess so."

Tish rolled her eyes and turned back to the customer at the counter. 'Please say no dude.' he thought to himself as he knew it was gonna come. "Sure." he said. Dammit! They never listen do they? He turned toward Tish. "Tish, you do realize that eventually you are gonna have to tell them." he said. Tish turned around. "Tell them what?"

"That you've slept with every Tom, Dick, and Harry that's walked in that door." he said. Tish gasped and slapped him. "Why are you being such a dick?" she asked. Priestley shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe because you're using all those guys for pleasure." he said. "Instead of love."

"Oh please. It's strictly business."

"What business? That would make you a prostitute."

She gasped and threw water in his face. "Jackass!"

Priestley licked his lips and sighed. "I probably deserved that. Trucker, I'm taking an early day!" he said, walking out the door. Trucker nodded and looked at Jen and Tish. "Nice job, ladies." he said, smirking.

* * *

  
A knock on the door led Priestley on the trail to the door, rolling his sleeve over the fresh cuts. He looked out the peephole and sighed. He opened the door. "What is it Jen?" he asked. Jen turned to look at him. "Just wanted to know what your problem is. You're usually not this snippy." she said.

"You talking about what happened back there?"

"Yeah. What's been up with you these past couple days?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about."

He sighed and sat on the couch. Jen sighed. "Priestley, everything's been strange with you. You were a little harsh to Tish today. And not to mention you were 2 hours later than usual. Seriously, what's going on?" she asked.

Priestley looked at her and sighed. Should he tell her? Or not? What would she do if he told her?

**A/N: Ooh. Cliff-hanger. What will happen next? Don't know. But, keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter.**


	3. Horrible Memories

**A/N: Finally got the third chapter done! Hope you guys enjoy it!**

"Come on Priestley, what's going on?" she asked him again. He looked at her and shook his head. "Nothing Jen. Just really worried about the job, you know?" he said. He wasn't gonna tell her. He knew what she was going to say, _'You need help. Go see a psychiatrist.' _That's what she would say. Doesn't she know that there was something deeper than just that.

Images flashed into his head. _He stood over Priestley, 10 years old, with a belt in one hand._

He shook his head. "Priestley, I'm here if you wanna talk." Jen said, placing her hand on his back. He flinched and looked at her. "I appreciate that, and I am really happy that you're trying to be my friend, but, I've gotta be getting to bed. So, night." he said, going to the door and opening it.

Jen walked out the door and turned to look at him. "See you at work tomorrow then." she said, looking down and walking away. Another image flashed into his mind as he shut the door. _Beer bottles littered the coffee table as Priestley huddles in the corner, looking at the shadow standing over him. His mom's passed out on the couch._

He stumbled into the bathroom, grabbing the kit from under the cabinet and took them out. They would help. They would make everything better.

* * *

Next morning Priestley walked in to find everyone staring at him. "What?" he asked, practically snarling.

"Nothing. We're just worried about you." Tish said, looking at him.

"I'm fine! God, you people need to stay out of my life."

"Well, something is definitely going on with you and we tend to find out." she said, leaning against the counter. A customer had walked into the shop and was ready to say his order. "Um. Excuse me!" he said, over the commotion.

"What!" Tish and Priestley yelled. The guy recoiled. "I wanna make an order. If you aren't too busy." he said, waving some money in the air. Priestley walked past Tish. "Might wanna get that order. He could be your next date." he said, heading to the stove.

"So that's what this is about?" she asked.

"No. What it's about is you getting in my face. Remember personal space."

"Ooooh. You make me so mad!"

"Oh. So now the truth comes out."

"What is your freakin' problem Priestley?"

As Tish and Priestley had their fight-o-rama, Jen worked. She jotted down the guy's order and walked over between the two. "Uh, if you two are done arguing, I need a turkey and swiss sub." she said, handing the slip to Priestley.

"Well, she started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Jen rolled her eyes. "Priestley, Tish! We're at work! Can we please leave the personal problems at home?" she asked, looking around, smiling apologetically at the guy. Priestley and Tish had already ended it and was working on the sub sandwich. _'Damn Tish!' _he thought to himself.

* * *

_'Daddy, please. Not again!' he cried._

_'You deserve this. You brought it on yourself.'_

_His dad began to take off his belt, his mom in the next room. 'You're drunk.' the 10-year-old boy said._

_Maniacal laughing and the belt whips as he was beat, was too much to bear. He closed his eyes and wished that it was all a dream and when he woke up he'd be happier, with friendly parents, and maybe a dog. 'Back-talk me again, boy.' his dad had said, leaving him to shrivel up on the floor._

* * *

  
Priestley sat up in bed, the same nightmares as before. He had the razors ready in his hand, and it was close to his skin. He let it slip across his wrist, making it bleed. It got rid of the pain, the repressed nightmares, the unhappiness he had endured before the nice lady sent him away."Yeah. What's been up with you these past couple days?"

The screaming. The nightmares. It ended.

It ended one way or another.

They just couldn't know about it. Nobody could know about his dark past. Yes, his father was an abusive drunk, and yes he cut himself but, he wasn't gonna let anybody know that. He didn't have issues, well, he sorta did.

But, could anybody really blame him?

**A/N: Aww, now we know why he's cutting himself. But, what happens at the end? We'll find out..**


End file.
